Adult Orthodontics

Adult Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment enables adults to correct tooth alignment problems which may extend back to childhood or have occurred later in life as a result of missing teeth.

The most popular treatment for adults is invisalign®, a series of custom-made clear plastic moulds similar to a sport mouthguard only much finer that places a gentle pressure on the teeth and guides them into position. The aligners are removable allowing you to eat all your favourite foods and clean your teeth normally. Replaced approximately every two weeks, invisalign® is virtually invisible, so no-one will notice you're wearing them.

Although clear aligners are very popular, they are not suitable for every situation. Ceramic fixed braces are translucent and blend with your tooth making them much less noticeable that stainless steel braces.

Depending on your personal circumstance, treatment may take between 6 to 18 months. Following your examination, the Robina Town Dental team will be able to provide an accurate timeframe for successfully completing your treatment.

Case study: Orthodontic remedy for 35 year old patient

A 35-year-old lady visited our clinic presenting with a bite issue. She was told (by a dentist from another practice) that she might require surgery to correct her bite. Preferring a non-surgical solution, she consulted us for a second opinion.

Upon examination, we found that both her upper and lower jaws were underdeveloped. The patient’s upper jaw was particularly narrow resulting in a ‘toxic bite’.

The main reason for the narrow jaw is chronic mouth breathing.

The tongue is a driving force in the shape and development of a person’s jaws. The tongue is known to exert 500 grams of force against the anterior teeth. Compare this to the fact that it takes a mere 2 grams to move a front tooth, and you can easily appreciate the forceful nature of the tongue in relation to its impact on the shape and size of a person’s jaws and craniofacial development. It also makes a difference whether or not the tongue is functioning in its correct position – which dentists say is at the roof of a person’s mouth.

Compared with nasal breathers, mouth breathers are more likely to drop their tongues such that they are seldom found in the roof of the person’s mouth. This can result in a lack of adequate support in the inside of the upper arch. Over time, the natural growth of the upper arch will be impeded leading to a narrower upper jaw.

The patient’s deep bite was also indirectly hindering the growth of her jaws. Due to her improper bite, her lower jaw was being pushed backwards, compressing her TMJ joints as well as associated blood vessels and nerves.

The pictures below show the teeth after the removal of the braces. Note the expanded upper jaw.

There has been a significant increase in the number of underdeveloped jaw cases that we have seen at our clinic. This may be attributed to an increased prevalence of allergies, leading to a higher propensity for mouth breathing and underdeveloped jaws.

Thankfully, the resultant bite problems can be corrected using non-surgical methods. Although the patient may undergo the bite correction procedure at any age, it would be more beneficial to do so when the patient is still young as his/her teeth and jaw structure are still developing and more easily manipulated. Also, delayed bite correction treatment increases the chance for permanent damage to the hard and soft tissues.